Billy the Kid's Old Timey Oddities and the Ghastly Fiend of London #1Review

Share.

Billy the Kid and his odd band of friends battle Jack the Ripper in London.

By Jesse Schedeen

Dark Horse surely wins the "longest title of the week" award with Billy the Kid's Old Timey Oddities and the Ghastly Fiend of London #1. It also wins the award for "most devilishly entertaining book". Fans of Eric Powell's demented brand of storytelling will feel right at home as Powell revisits Billy the Kid and his odd band of adventurers. In this sequel mini-series the gang heads to London and become embroiled in the Jack the Ripper investigation. Naturally, Powell has a few twists of his own to throw into this familiar setting. New readers shouldn't be afraid to dive into the book either. The series reads like a much more zany and humorous take on the B.P.R.D. comics, and it's about as accessible to boot.

Kyle Hotz also returns for this sequel. I find Hotz to be a much better fit for this wacky brand of storytelling than his more grounded Marvel work. Here, Hotz is given full clearance to be expressive and colorful in his approach, and the difference is clear. In addition to the main tale, Powell writes and draws a Goon segment wherein Frankie and The Goon attempt to have a relaxing day on the "beach". This tale should tide hungry Goon fans over for a bit longer, though I'm curious to see if it has the legs to stay amusing and peppy over multiple issues. But even if not, the main story is well worth the price of admission for anyone craving a few laughs and some oddball characters.